Backroads
by yevonscribbles
Summary: In which a high school crush between a fox and a cougar grows into something more. Gideon Grey x Bobby Catmull


"This day has been shit… Ah got a C on mah test, ah have three reports due next week, and ah have another text on Monday…" Gideon Grey thought to himself as he slammed his locker shut. Senior year of high school was supposed to be a magical time for lots of mammals but all it did was remind the fox that he was going nowhere fast. At first, it had seem that the pudgy fox wouldn't even graduate in a few months but with some tutoring from Bobby Catmull, Gideon would at least get his GED. The large cougar male had offered to help the former bully after the Grey family started to fall apart. Rumor had it that Gideon's father had been abusing his wife and kit for years and the law had finally made a move towards the end of last semester to arrest the fox for multiple charges. Gideon and his mother had finally been saved and were working on rebuilding their lives since the beginning on the spring semester.

"Ah little late…" Gideon muttered to himself. Part of the healing process was to set up the pudgy fox with a counselor to try and help Gideon control his 'unchecked rage and aggression,' as the sow in a clean green dress had put it. The fox had met with her for the past three months and had to admit that having someone to talk to was helping. Bobby was helping too, staying after school to help the delinquent fox and being someone Gideon had grown to care for. He was close to the only friend Gideon had besides Travis. The cougar had grown from a small nerdy cub to a large lean young man with an attractive body. Gideon winced to himself. "Yer not allowed to call Bobby attractive ya queer fox…" He thought to himself. Sure, his counselor had helped him come to terms with his sexuality, but that doesn't mean the fox was ready for the world to have one more thing to make fun of him for. "Besides. There is no way Bobby would like a broken mammal like me…" He thought to himself, as he shoved books from his locker to his tattered and worn backpack.

The long school day finally ended and Gideon started to trudge his way to his bus home with his torn and beaten backpack when the foxes path was blocked by a large frame. Growling, the fox shot the large mammal blocking his path a glare. Lately, every mammal had been anxious to start something with the former bully. Instead of an angry snarl, the fox saw the smiling muzzle of Bobby Catmull. Gideon looked away in embarrassment. "Sorry Bobby… Ah thought yer were someone who wanted to start something…" The cougar stood a full two heads above the fox and had a lean runner's body. If you didn't know the mammal, you would guess he was the local football star but instead the cougar prefered to make music and art.

Bobby laughed a bit and adjusted his own backpack. "No one wants to hurt you Gid." With an awkward shuffle, the large cat produced a small gift for the fox. "I heard you got a C on your last math test and I wanted to get you a little gift!" Gideon took the hand-wrapped item with a little hesitation. No one ever gave the fox anything…

"Ya didn't have to… Ah only got a C because you stayed after school and helped me. Ah should be getting ya something not the other way around!" The fox protested. Bobby just shook his head and smiled.

"I wanted to… Hurry, open it!" The cougar said, his tail flicking in excitement. With a smirk, the fox open the newspaper that was wrapped around the flat object. Now free from its wrapping, Gideon looked at the clear box that housed a round reflective disk.

"A CD?" Gideon asked looking back to the cougar.

"Yeah!" Bobby said excitedly, his long tan tail flicking behind him. "Remember when we were studying the other night and I was talking about the 'Beagles' and other classic rock bands? Tada! Now you can listen to good music while you study on your own!"

"Ohhhh…" Gideon said vaguely remembering the conversation. "...Thank you Bobby…" The fox looked at his feet.

With a frown, the large cat hunkered down to look at the fox's eye-level. "What's wrong? I thought you would be excited…" Bobby said failing to hide his disappointment.

Meeting the cougars eyes, Gideon saw the sad look forming over the large cat's muzzle. The fox didn't want to let the cougar down. "Ah am excited...It's just… Ah don't have a CD player...So I can't listen to it…" Gideon admitted. He really didn't own anything other than some clothes and a few old books left by his Grandmother. Normally, the fox would rather die than show weakness, but Bobby had really grown into a trusted friend over the past few months of tutoring. Gideon's counselor had encouraged the fox to be honest with those he cared about.

"Oh!" Bobby said with some surprise. "I didn't even think of that… That was very stupid of me Gideon. I am sorry." The cougar offered a sincere look.

"Don't apologize! Ya didn't know!" Gideon felt his face warm. "Ah will figure out something later but ah gotta get to the bus!" The fox began to make his way past the cougar when a large paw grabbed his own.

"I have an idea!" Bobby said with a smile, squeezing the foxes paw. Gideon could feel his face turn a bright red as he looked from his held paw to the smiling cougar. He wouldn't admit it, but the fox enjoyed the feeling on his paw wrapped by the large digits of the cougar, his slightly rough paw-pads warming the smaller mammal. Just as the fox was about to ask Bobby to let his paw go, the large cougar began to lead the pudgy teen out the school. "Let me take you home! I know the perfect place we can go and listen to the CD together!"

Gideon was thankful that the odd pair were some of the last students to leave the school and the parking lot was all but empty. Releasing the foxes paw Bobby, he fished for his key ring and pressed a plastic button housed there. A relatively new blue pick-up truck beeped in response from across the way. Throwing his backpack into the bed of the truck, the cougar moved to the passenger side and pulled opened the door. The fox blushed a bit and placed his own backpack in the bed before climbing into the larger cab of the truck still clutching his gift to his chest.

The blue truck was built for larger mammals like cows, horses, or in this case large breed cats. Gideon's feet dangled from the seat with plenty of extra room above his head. With a huff, Bobby sat in the driver's side and buckled in with a smile. "It's a good truck! Dad used it for awhile before getting a company car. So I get access to the truck as long as I keep my grades up."

"It must be nice to go where ya want…" The fox said buckling his seat belt. He look down at the CD still clutched in his paws. 'Why am ah feeling so nervous?' Gideon thought to himself. With a small roar of the engine, Bobby drove the pair out of the school parking lot and out towards the rolling fields of the Burrows. Many of the crops were just a small green plant in the Spring but in a few months large stocks of corn, multi-colored berries, and even large oval tobacco leaves could be seen. The fox watched out the window as a silence fell on the pair. The blue truck took a turn seemingly at random and continued to take the fox to an unknown location. A few more minutes and the truck parked on a small hill overlooking several fields and a lake.

Bobby turned to face the fox. "Here we go! My personal favorite spot! Mind if I see the CD real quick?" The large cat asked. Gideon handed his gift over and watched as the cougar took the round item and inserted it into the dashboard. After a moment, a soft guitar could be heard coming through the speakers. With a smile, the large cat cranked up the volume causing Gideon to cover his ears with a frown. "Oh sorry! I forgot that your ears are more sensitive."

Wincing, the fox looked at the large cat. "Ah little, why are ya playing it so loud? Won't we get in trouble?" Gideon asked. With a large grin, the cougar unbuckled his seatbelt and patted the foxes paw.

"Naw, we won't bother anyone here. Wait there while I get everything set up." And with that the large cat opened his door and started to reach below his seat for something before meeting Gideon's eyes. With a blush Bobby added. "Could you close your eyes… I want it to be a surprise." The fox gave the cougar a mocked frustrated look but did as he was told.

With his eyes closed, Gideon could focus on the smells and sounds around him; the CD was playing a soft guitar with a warm voice singing in tune and the truck cab the fox sat in smelled like Bobby and the usual scents of earth coming from the fields. Occasionally, a rustle or metal clank could be heard from where Bobby was working on his surprise. The fox felt his cheeks warm a little thinking about the cougar holding his paw earlier. He wasn't sure why the cougar was being so friendly and went out of his way to give Gideon a present that he really didn't deserve. Sure, they had spend hours together trying to get Gideon caught up and on his way to graduating before the end of senior year, but the fox thought Bobby was just being a good mammal. The cougar was easily the smartest mammal in their grade and had been one of the first to show support for Gideon after his father was arrested. 'Maybe Bobby just feels sorry for me…" The fox thought before he heard the passenger door open and the warm voice of the cougar snapped the teen back to the present.

"Hold out your paw Gid." Bobby said and again the fox complied. Jumping from the cab, the fox still with his eyes closed was lead around to the back of the truck. "Ok… Open your eyes!"

The red fox opened his eyes to see that the back of the truck had been turned into a makeshift picnic spot with a blanket thrown over the bed. Gideon found himself smiling and gave the cougar a sideways smile. "Did ya have this planned?"

"Not really… I had to improvise a little, here let me help you into the truck bed." After a few moments, both mammals were laying in the bed of the truck with their backs propped against the cab watching the fields sprawling out all around them while the CD continued to play a collection of music hand-selected by Bobby. Gideon found himself absorbed by the sheer variety of music the cougar had picked out and after a particularly energetic song the fox smiled over to Bobby.

"Thank ya Bobby, ah really appreciate ya making this CD fer me." Gideon said as his cheeks began to warm. "Ah don't know why ya waste yer time on me though…" The fox started to twiddle his fingers together and looked out over the fields unable to meet the cougars eyes. Gideon felt tears well around his own eyes but tried his best to keep himself from crying. After a moment Bobby scooted closer to the fox and wrapped an arm around the smaller male.

"I don't think I am wasting my time on you Gideon." The cougar said in a warm whisper hugging the fox. "Hey look at me…" Bobby asked placing his large paw on the foxes cheek. Their eyes met and Bobby could see the tears Gideon was trying to hide. "I really like you Gideon Grey." The larger male leaned forward until their lips met.

Gideon wasn't sure if he should protest or allow himself to get swept away in the moment. Soon the fox began to kiss the large cat back placing his own paw on Bobby's cheek. Eventually, the cougar broke the kiss and looked into the deep green eyes of the fox. The boys both wore a goofy satisfied grin.

"Ah can tell ya like me Bobby Catmull…" Gideon said with a little slur. The pair started to giggle at each other as the larger cat pulled the fox close into a hug. Leaning back in the cab of the truck, the pair continued to listen to music wrapped in each other's embrace. Their paws were locked together as they whispered to one another between the music. Slowly, the sun began to sink below the horizon and the bright blue sky gave way to rays of orange, red, and yellow.

Eventually, Bobby drove Gideon home and after a final goodbye kiss the fox waved the cougar off. Making his way into the small run-down building he called home, Gideon put his backpack down and headed to the kitchen.

"Well, well yer home late." Gideon's Mom said. The greying vixen walked over to her son and gave him a quick hug. The pair had been growing closer after Mr. Grey had been arrested. While there was still years of pain and hurt to heal, both Mother and Son were working hard to form a better bond and they would even go to counseling together at times. The vixen was also a bit pudgy much like her son and kept her longer autumn-colored head fur in a tight bun. She stood a little under her son's chin and while Gideon had bright blue eyes hers were a cool misty grey.

Sniffing, the air the female fox stopped in her tracks. "Oh you smell a lot like a cougar right now, were you spending time with that Catmull boy?"

"Yes Mom, Bobby made me a CD so we listened to it in his truck. He's gonna come get me tomorrow to help with mah essays…" Gideon said while he began searching the kitchen for a few items. His mother leaned in the doorway and took out a cigarette.

"Are you actually going to study tomorrow or make-out more?" The vixin said with a smile.

"MOM!" Gideon protested turning to his mother while his face turned a bright red.

"What? You can't hide everything from me Gid! Ah can smell it and ah am all for ya making-out with a good kit! Truth be told, ah thought you would end up with Travis..." Mrs. Grey said lighting the cigarette. Gideon covered his eyes and took a deep breath to collect himself.

"Sweet cheese and crackers…" The male fox huffed as he went back to collecting the things he needed. Some flour, sugar, some strawberries from the fridge...

"Whatcha making?" The vixen asked taking a long draw from the tobacco product.

"Ah thought ah could make Grandma's strawberry pie fer tomorrow… Fer Bobby…" Gideon said with a blush. The vixen giggled and turned to head back to the living room leaving her son to his work.

"As long as I get a slice, you can bake to yer heart's content!" With a wave, Mrs. Grey disappeared from sight. "Tell Bobby he will need to come for dinner soon so ah can meet him! Yer not gonna date him till I give the O.K." The vixen called from the other room.

"Mom! All we did was kiss!" Gideon hollered back and with a shake of his head, the teen began to prepare his Grandma's famous pie. The younger fox began to laugh to himself. He could get used to the idea of dating the cougar.


End file.
